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This article was reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces.
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Dolphins are everyone's favorite swimming, squeaking, playful ocean animal, and drawing them is just as fun as admiring them in their natural habitat. It's easy to do, and all it takes is a pencil or pen, some paper, and a little practice! We'll show you how to draw a dolphin from start to finish two ways, both in a realistic and cartoon style.
Steps
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![Step 1 Start with drawing an aerofoil shape, resembling the part found in airplanes.]()
Start with drawing an aerofoil shape, resembling the part found in airplanes. -
Draw an oblong tilted upper right at the top part of the aerofoil.Advertisement -
Add the snout of the dolphin or its mouth from crate.
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Draw the tail using a triangle as a framework at the bottom of the aerofoil.
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Refine the tail by using curves and draw the dolphin’s eyes.
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![Step 6 Trace with a pen.]()
Trace with a pen. Erase unnecessary lines. -
![Step 7 Color to your liking!]()
Color to your liking!
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Draw a curve that looks a bit like a cursive lowercase letter “r”.
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Draw a U shape where the top right joins the previous line.
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Join the top right of the U to the bottom of the first line you just drew. Then mimic the shape just below to create the stomach of the dolphin.
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Add a dorsal fin on the back of the dolphin that looks line a slanted lowercase “n”.
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Draw the tail, which is like a cross between a boomerang and an upside-down heart.
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Add a U shape inside the dolphin for a flipper.
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![Step 7 Draw a mouth and eye to complete your dolphin.]()
Draw a mouth and eye to complete your dolphin.
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I get the correct shape at the beginning?
Community AnswerSimply practice until you feel you get it right. Drawing, like anything else, needs practice to get better. -
QuestionWhy do you draw dolphins like that?
Community AnswerYou can draw your dolphin however you want. These are just tips and guidelines. Be creative, it's your drawing! -
QuestionHow do I add detail precisely enough?
Community AnswerUse a sharpened pencil, and take your time.
Video
Tips
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Pencil
- Eraser
About This Article
To draw a dolphin, start by drawing a curved line that looks like a cursive lowercase R for the dolphin’s back. Starting off the hook in the top right of the original line, draw a U shape that will be the face. Next, join the top right edge of the U to the bottom of the first line to create the stomach of the dolphin. Then, add a triangular dorsal fin on the back and a boomerang shape at the bottom to create a tail fin. Finally, draw another U shape inside the dolphin’s body to make a flipper and an eye and mouth for the face. For tips on how to get the body shape of the dolphin just right, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
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"I needed to draw two types of dolphin for my project work. After seeing this, I copied the drawing, and my teacher just loved it! I'm very happy with this site."..." more
